A full moon unlike any other in 2021 to rise this weekend
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Aug 20, 2021 4:10 PM EDT
Bright moonlight will fill the night sky during the weekend when a seasonal blue moon rises on Aug. 21-22.
The weekend will feature an uncommon event in the night sky, although for those that don’t know what is happening, it may go unnoticed.
A full moon is set to rise on Saturday evening, appearing similar to others that rise throughout the year, but this one will be different than every other full moon in 2021. Saturday night’s full moon will be a blue moon.
Blue moons are commonly considered to be the second full moon in a calendar month. This happens once every two or three years, most recently occurring last year on Halloween.
This is how the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’ came about to describe an event that does not happen often.
However, there is another way that a full moon can take on this nickname.
In this Friday, April 6, 2012, file photo, a full moon rises behind the Empire State Building in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Almost every season has three full moons, but every few years, there is a season that has an extra full moon. When this happens, the third of the four full moons is considered to be a seasonal blue moon.
This is the case in the summer of 2021 with the third of the season’s four full moons rising after sunset on Saturday, Aug. 21.
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Despite what the nickname implies, the moon will not appear to be blue.
This weekend’s full moon will look similar to many other full moons throughout the year, although it could appear slightly red, orange or yellow when the moon is near the horizon for the same reason why sunsets sometimes emit vibrant colors.
Blue moon or not, August’s full moon has been given different nicknames over the years based on changes in nature or the behavior of animals.
One of the most common nicknames is the Sturgeon Moon as August was the best time to catch the fish swimming in the Great Lakes or in Lake Champlain, The Old Farmer’s Almanac explained.
This may lead some to call this month’s full moon the “blue sturgeon moon,” although sturgeon are typically grey or brown.
Other nicknames for August’s full moon include the Black Cherries Moon, the Corn Moon and the Mountain Shadows Moon.
After this weekend, skywatchers will need to wait two more years to see a blue moon again with the next one set to rise on Aug. 30, 2023.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Astronomy
A full moon unlike any other in 2021 to rise this weekend
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Aug 20, 2021 4:10 PM EDT
Bright moonlight will fill the night sky during the weekend when a seasonal blue moon rises on Aug. 21-22.
The weekend will feature an uncommon event in the night sky, although for those that don’t know what is happening, it may go unnoticed.
A full moon is set to rise on Saturday evening, appearing similar to others that rise throughout the year, but this one will be different than every other full moon in 2021. Saturday night’s full moon will be a blue moon.
Blue moons are commonly considered to be the second full moon in a calendar month. This happens once every two or three years, most recently occurring last year on Halloween.
This is how the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’ came about to describe an event that does not happen often.
However, there is another way that a full moon can take on this nickname.
In this Friday, April 6, 2012, file photo, a full moon rises behind the Empire State Building in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Almost every season has three full moons, but every few years, there is a season that has an extra full moon. When this happens, the third of the four full moons is considered to be a seasonal blue moon.
This is the case in the summer of 2021 with the third of the season’s four full moons rising after sunset on Saturday, Aug. 21.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Despite what the nickname implies, the moon will not appear to be blue.
This weekend’s full moon will look similar to many other full moons throughout the year, although it could appear slightly red, orange or yellow when the moon is near the horizon for the same reason why sunsets sometimes emit vibrant colors.
More astronomy news
Blue moon or not, August’s full moon has been given different nicknames over the years based on changes in nature or the behavior of animals.
One of the most common nicknames is the Sturgeon Moon as August was the best time to catch the fish swimming in the Great Lakes or in Lake Champlain, The Old Farmer’s Almanac explained.
This may lead some to call this month’s full moon the “blue sturgeon moon,” although sturgeon are typically grey or brown.
Other nicknames for August’s full moon include the Black Cherries Moon, the Corn Moon and the Mountain Shadows Moon.
After this weekend, skywatchers will need to wait two more years to see a blue moon again with the next one set to rise on Aug. 30, 2023.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo